Outlook 2007, Outlook Web Access

The-TomThe-Tom Wakefield
edited February 2009 in Internet & Media
Hi

We seem to be having an issue with Outlook 2007 OWA.
when you enter the address for the OWA the graphics are not displaying correctly although once logged in the graphics are fine. the other issue is that this is only happening when using firefox as a web browser if you use IE then it doesn't load at all.

can any help please?

Comments

  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited February 2009
    So just to be clear it's only the initial login page page that is in blue/grey and should say Microsoft Outlook Web Access at the top. Then asks you if it's a public/private computer and prompts you for the login creds that's causing the graphic problem and it's only causing a problem for Firefox.

    Is it every firefox or just one firefox user and are those firefox browsers running the latest versions? Also is your outlook portal server that's hosting the OWA and running IIS, is it all up-to-date as well?

    Have you tested it against any other browsers like chrome for example?
  • The-TomThe-Tom Wakefield
    edited February 2009
    kryyst wrote:
    So just to be clear it's only the initial login page page that is in blue/grey and should say Microsoft Outlook Web Access at the top. Then asks you if it's a public/private computer and prompts you for the login creds that's causing the graphic problem and it's only causing a problem for Firefox.

    Is it every firefox or just one firefox user and are those firefox browsers running the latest versions? Also is your outlook portal server that's hosting the OWA and running IIS, is it all up-to-date as well?

    Have you tested it against any other browsers like chrome for example?


    Hi, yeah thats right.
    The server is fully uptodate. it seems to do this on all machines with firefox, i have tried loading it on chrome and i get the same, the odd thing is that it will not work (will not even load the login page) when you try it in IE 6 or 7.
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited February 2009
    Ok is this a new problem, is this the first time you've tried enabling IIS, have you tried restarting IIS or the server?

    Other things to check, if your OWA site is https://mail.domain.com/owa if you just go to https://mail.domain.com/ you should get a default IIS page. If you go to http://mail.domain.com/ you'll likely get a 403 error saying page contents can't be displayed.

    Also are you getting the same issues when you are trying to connect to it internall as opposed to externally? What happens if you open up a browser on the owa server and try to connect to the owa from that machine?
  • The-TomThe-Tom Wakefield
    edited February 2009
    kryyst wrote:
    Ok is this a new problem, is this the first time you've tried enabling IIS, have you tried restarting IIS or the server?

    Other things to check, if your OWA site is https://mail.domain.com/owa if you just go to https://mail.domain.com/ you should get a default IIS page. If you go to http://mail.domain.com/ you'll likely get a 403 error saying page contents can't be displayed.

    Also are you getting the same issues when you are trying to connect to it internall as opposed to externally? What happens if you open up a browser on the owa server and try to connect to the owa from that machine?

    Hi

    yeah we have been running the OWA for some time now and this is the first time finding this issue. i have tried restarting the services though i will admit i haven't tried restarting the exchange server.
    yes the site is a /OWA. I have just tried the https://mail.domain.com/ and your right it did just bring up the IIS Page.
    I am well stuck.
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited February 2009
    Based on what your describing it sounds like there's an issue with your ssl, but first try this before tackling that.

    Go to your IIS, Default Web Site, the properties of ExchWeb, Directory Security and enable Integrate Windows authentication. <!-- <<< -->
  • The-TomThe-Tom Wakefield
    edited February 2009
    kryyst wrote:
    Based on what your describing it sounds like there's an issue with your ssl, but first try this before tackling that.

    Go to your IIS, Default Web Site, the properties of ExchWeb, Directory Security and enable Integrate Windows authentication.

    Thank you…

    I have just had a look at what you’ve told me to check and it seems as if the Windows Authentication is set to Enable. I have also just had a look in the SSL Settings and the require SSL is checked; the require 128-bit SSL is checked and from the option buttons for client certificates, Ignore, Accept and require the Ignore is set. I don’t know if this would make any difference or not?

    I really do appreciate your help thank you.
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited February 2009
    I'm stumped. I think the firefox users are getting a cached page for the login and once it's past that it's talking to the backend which is why it's working past that point.
    Also try going to : https://mail.domain.com/owa/auth/logon.aspx that's the actually file that runs the login script.

    Other things to check.
    In the Exchange Management Console go to Server Configuration>Client Access>Outlook Web Access tab>properties for the owa and check
    The url's under the general tab
    Authentication type under the authentication tab. Ours is set to forms-based authentication login format user name only. But that only controls what they need to put in the prompt. Also just double check the public/private access to make sure they are readied. But again those all really controll what's available once they've logged in.

    In IIS
    go to your owa page and check that default document type is default.apsx which should be the only one there and it should be inherited.
    Your ssl use 128 and ignore client is fine.
    In the authorization section the only authentication that should be enabled is basic.

    Beyond that the fact that it just seemingly stopped working leads me to think a server reboot is probably the way to go. I say that for two reasons. First it could just be some random glitch that's cropped up. It could however be something more and rebooting the server may shed light onto that through event log entries.
  • The-TomThe-Tom Wakefield
    edited February 2009
    kryyst wrote:
    I'm stumped. I think the firefox users are getting a cached page for the login and once it's past that it's talking to the backend which is why it's working past that point.
    Also try going to : https://mail.domain.com/owa/auth/logon.aspx that's the actually file that runs the login script.

    Other things to check.
    In the Exchange Management Console go to Server Configuration>Client Access>Outlook Web Access tab>properties for the owa and check
    The url's under the general tab
    Authentication type under the authentication tab. Ours is set to forms-based authentication login format user name only. But that only controls what they need to put in the prompt. Also just double check the public/private access to make sure they are readied. But again those all really controll what's available once they've logged in.

    In IIS
    go to your owa page and check that default document type is default.apsx which should be the only one there and it should be inherited.
    Your ssl use 128 and ignore client is fine.
    In the authorization section the only authentication that should be enabled is basic.

    Beyond that the fact that it just seemingly stopped working leads me to think a server reboot is probably the way to go. I say that for two reasons. First it could just be some random glitch that's cropped up. It could however be something more and rebooting the server may shed light onto that through event log entries.

    Hi

    Cheers. i will sort out a restart of the server this evening and will let you know how things are.

    Thank you for your help.
  • The-TomThe-Tom Wakefield
    edited February 2009
    Hi

    we rebooted the server. and checked the event logs. it seems as if it is the certificate that holds the DNS for the mail.servername.com

    the log shows:
    "Microsoft Exchange couldn't find a certificate that contains the domain name mail.servername.com in the personal store on the local computer. Therefore, it is unable to support the STARTTLS SMTP verb for the connector SMTP Connector with a FQDN parameter of mail.servername.com. If the connector's FQDN is not specified, the computer's FQDN is used. Verify the connector configuration and the installed certificates to make sure that there is a certificate with a domain name for that FQDN. If this certificate exists, run Enable-ExchangeCertificate -Services SMTP to make sure that the Microsoft Exchange Transport service has access to the certificate key."

    the certificate with the Mail.servername.com in is though located within the personal store. so not sure whats happening.
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited February 2009
    That sounds like it's only failing the smtp protocol which would prevent it from allowing smtp tls connections, I don't think it would cause the portal issue you are describing but it might. Did you open up power shell and run Enable-ExchangeCertificate -Services SMTP?

    Also can I assume rebooting didn't fix the portal issue?
  • The-TomThe-Tom Wakefield
    edited February 2009
    kryyst wrote:
    That sounds like it's only failing the smtp protocol which would prevent it from allowing smtp tls connections, I don't think it would cause the portal issue you are describing but it might. Did you open up power shell and run Enable-ExchangeCertificate -Services SMTP?

    Also can I assume rebooting didn't fix the portal issue?


    ok. yeah i have run the command to enable the smtp on the used certificate.

    no the reboot hasn't solved anything. its still not liking something.
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited February 2009
    Not sure where else to go. Next step may be removing the owa and re-implementing it. Could be a file that got deleted or corrupted.
  • The-TomThe-Tom Wakefield
    edited February 2009
    Hi

    we have sorted it.

    it looks like Microsoft have release an update which is:
    Update rollup 6 for Exchange Server 2007 SP1.

    It looks like this has a .NET update within it which seems to throw the IIS off, so its just a case of un installing this update, restart the server and all seems to be ok.

    all we have now is a certificate validation issue which we are just going to get a new certificate to try.

    Many, Many thanks for your help!
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited February 2009
    Hmmm glad you got it sorted out. Stupid microsoft. I haven't encountered that yet myself and I'm fully patched up on all my mail servers.
Sign In or Register to comment.